The story continues.
I breezed through the chaos of my first day on the job and how I first met Sasaki-san, then launched into a painstakingly detailed account of the dazzling daily life I spent being healed by her. I described her gentle demeanor and overwhelming capacity for warmth using every delicate metaphor I could think of. Like that one evening, for instance.
Honestly, even I was taken aback by how worked up I was getting.
“Liar. There’s no way a person like that exists.”
Huh?
“No, hold on. That’s only because it was me who met her. It’s hard for you to picture, right? So how about you try imagining me as a handsome guy for a second?”
“Difficult.”
“Ashidaaa!”
Come on! You could at least beautify the version of me in your head, you jerk! Why is your vocabulary suddenly so precise only at times like this when your grades are just average!? The whole “vocabulary character” thing doesn’t suit you at all!
“…Did you go somewhere to play with her?”
“U-uh, well… I mean, every day with her basically feels like playing around, so…”
“You were working part-time, weren’t you?”
Natsukawa’s sharp comeback hit home. Damn it. Even though I had described my Sasaki-san in such vivid, raw detail, I didn’t have many concrete memories that could actually prove she existed. Despite calling it “dazzling,” there hadn’t been that many dramatic events. Maybe I should invite her to karaoke sometime… No, that might get in the way of her studies. That’d be bad.
“No, anyway, she’s just… incredibly mature. The kind of beauty I’ve never encountered before. She’s the type that makes you fall for her at first sight!”
“……”
“……”
…Did I strike out? They had both gone completely quiet. What now? Why were they making faces like they couldn’t accept any of this? Was Sasaki-san’s existence really that unbelievable? Or was my explanation just that bad? Ashida was even jutting her chin out and glaring at me… You’re turning into a total yankee. Hey, stop flipping me off behind Natsukawa’s back. That’s cheating.
“…Hmph. If someone like that really exists, I’d love to meet her!”
“Well, even if you say that, it’s not like there’s any chance for you two to meet her… Is there anyone similar around here? Like, do we have any beautiful teachers at our school?”
“What are you even thinking…?”
“Natsukawa and her are just in completely different categories of beauty.”
“I-I’m not a beauty or anything…”
“Whoa.”
Natsukawa gave my shoulder a gentle push. Eh? Was she angry? If so, that was a surprisingly soft attack. It felt less like a push and more like an enchantingly seductive touch. Why was my inner self getting so ridiculously excited over this?
“You can’t let yourself be fooled, Aichi! Sajocchi says stuff like that, but he’d be happy with any pretty girl!”
“Hey, what the hell are you saying!? I’ll have you know I can even accept the cute-and-atmospheric type!”
“Aaah! He showed his true colors, Aichi! It’s stake-burning time! We have to burn him at the stake!”
“That’s too heavy a penalty!”
This girl was always looking for an opening to lower my stock… I might have said it before, but treating someone who claims to be average as below average is cruel! Even if I’m average trash, there are still parts of me that shouldn’t be written off! What’s wrong with liking cute girls!?
“Leaving me aside! Sasaki-san is a genuine Yamato Nadeshiko. She’s basically an endangered species.”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Why not!?”
“There’s no way someone like that exists! Wake up already, Sajocchi! You’re making me sad. Are you stupid or something!”
“I’m not stupid! The one who calls someone stupid is the real—Ah! Look over there! That person coming up from the sports ground! She looks exactly like her! She’s seriously on a whole different level from you, Ashida.”
“That’s a girl from Mishirohama Girls’ Junior High! Why are you pointing at a middle schooler and saying stuff like that!”
What!? Middle school!? At this point, age doesn’t matter! Until I made them acknowledge Sasaki-san’s existence, I would convince them no matter what price I had to pay! I’d even break down the fine details of her facial structure…!
“W-wait… Your voice is way too loud——”
『——……Jou-saaan.』
“Huh?”
“…?”
I thought I heard a familiar voice drifting over from afar. Maybe I had been thinking about Sasaki-san too much, because it sounded exactly like her. Even though I told myself it couldn’t be, I let my eyes wander around, searching for a matching figure. But no matter where I looked, my gaze eventually settled in one particular direction.
『——……Jou-saaan.』
“…Hey. Isn’t that middle schooler calling for Wataru?”
“Eh? No, I shouldn’t have any middle school acquaintances, but…”
“But Sajocchi? Don’t you think that girl coming this way looks really mature?”
“Y-yeah… Modern junior high girls are seriously on another level these days…”
Wait… Isn’t this a bit too similar? Was it just the face shape? I must have been so thoroughly brainwashed by Sasaki-san’s type that any face like hers now looked mature to me. That had to be it…! Everyone said modern junior high school girls looked mature these days! There had even been a special segment about it on the morning news!
So she must just be a perfect doppelgänger!
『——Sajou-saaan!』
“………”
“………”
“………”
Sasaki-san…? Is this cosplay?
◆
“Sajou-san, I heard only the third-year seniors were here today, so I thought I wouldn’t be able to meet you.”
“………”
“……”
“……”
My jaw nearly hit the floor.
I couldn’t close my mouth. Words wouldn’t come out. The reality before me was simply too difficult to accept. The girl wearing a summer sailor uniform with light pink lines walked right up to my left side as I sat there, took my hand, pulled me toward her, and began jumping around with excited kya kya kya hops like a typical middle schooler. Every time she did, the things slightly above my eye level bounced wildly up and down.
I simply stared at them in a daze, forgetting any ulterior motives whatsoever.
“I met you! I finally met you!”
“Ah, u-um, well………”
“Waaah, it’s Sajou-san in his uniform. This is the first time I’ve seen it!”
“I-is that so…”
Is this a dream? It has to be a dream, right? Yeah, it’s definitely a dream. No wonder everyone around me (except Ashida) had seemed so nice to me today. What the hell is wrong with this girl for being so harsh on me even inside my own dream? I should spam her with messages in the middle of the night, this woman…
“…Wataru…?”
“Eep!”
“Don’t make weird noises…”
Natsukawa-san!? We’re right in the middle of the school grounds! What are you doing!? If you suddenly whisper in my ear, of course I’ll react! Even I think that voice was gross! Please save that kind of thing for when we’re alone. I probably wouldn’t be able to handle it…
“…Could it be… the person you were talking about earlier?”
“H-huh? Did I say something like that…?”
“……”
Whoa, what’s with that pouty face… It’s cute.
Her cheeks seemed a little puffed out. The gesture somehow reminded me of Airi-chan. My mental camera was flashing like crazy. I need to develop these…!
“Sajou-san…?”
“Ha…!”
The moment I was about to activate Legal Break, the middle schooler—no, the onee-san—called my name and brought me back to my senses. That was close…! I nearly exposed my perverted side to every girl present! Though it felt like I might already be too late!
“Ah—um, well, Sasaki-san. What a coincidence. I never imagined I’d run into you here…”
“This is the high school I’ve always admired. I wanted to see you, Sajou-san.”
“Guh… I-is that so? Is that so! Now that you mention it, I never asked—what school do you go to, Sasaki-san…?”
“…Ah! That’s right, I still haven’t told you!”
Please…! Cosplay! Even if it’s just self-delusion, the best outcome is that her maternal instincts made her want to see me so badly that she cosplayed and stormed into this high school! Please let that be it…! A man’s desire!
“——I’m Sasaki Fuuka, a third-year student at Mishirohama Girls’ Junior High School. Oh? Is this the first time I’ve properly introduced myself…?”
Modern junior high girls are seriously on another level.
They’re seriously on another level.